Delfino Tours La Maddalena review: the Corsara, four island stops, prices and who it suits

Delfino Tours La Maddalena is one of the few big-ship operators whose day actually starts on La Maddalena island: the Corsara leaves the town port at 08:40, then calls at Palau to pick up the rest of the passengers. If you are sleeping on the island, that alone puts it on the shortlist. Delfino Tours reviews mostly talk about the ship, and with reason: it is one of the newest in the archipelago.

The company is Delfino Tours S.R.L. Its About page says it started in 2012 with a small boat, the Delfino di Sorrento, and bought the Corsara in 2023. It is family-run by two couples according to that page. We list its peers on the operators hub and cover the departure town on our La Maddalena guide.

What they offer

One set of escursioni, run daily from May to October: a seven-hour day with four stops. Cala Corsara on Spargi, the natural pools of Budelli with a panoramic pass along Spiaggia Rosa (viewed from the water, as the park requires), a swim stop at Santa Maria, and free time in La Maddalena town. The order changes with the wind and with the other boats’ timings.

Timings from the operator’s site: from La Maddalena, check-in 08:30, departure 08:40, return about 16:10; from Palau, check-in from 09:10 to 10:00, departure 10:30, return about 17:40. The Palau passengers get a slightly shorter day; the La Maddalena passengers get the boat to themselves for the first hop across the strait to Palau. Free time in town is at the end of the day for Palau boarders and mid-tour for island boarders; both work.

Insider tip: Boarding on La Maddalena rather than Palau means you avoid the ferry queue and the Palau car park. If you drive over from Palau the night before, parking in La Maddalena town is easier than around the Palau tourist port at 09:30 in August.

Boats and comfort

The Corsara is described on the company’s site as roughly 27 m long with three panoramic decks and 225 seats, with tours sold to 210 passengers to leave room to move. The name comes from Cala Corsara on Spargi. On board: a lounge with sofas, toilets, shaded areas, step-free access for wheelchair users, free Wi-Fi and a restaurant-bar. The commentary is delivered through a QR-code audio app in six or more languages (Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Polish and Brazilian Portuguese are listed).

We could not verify snorkel gear; bring a mask. Tripadvisor reviewers describe the ship as spacious, modern and clean, and several mention that not selling every seat makes a difference on the deck.

Prices and what’s included

Delfino Tours prices for 2026, as published on the operator’s site in September 2026: adults €55 from 5 to 31 May and from 1 to 21 June; €60 from 22 June to 6 July and from 12 to 20 September; €65 from 7 July to 3 August; €70 from 4 August to 11 September; €55 again from 21 September to 30 October. Children aged 4 to 10 pay €35 to €60 depending on the band, infants 0 to 3 pay €10 to €30.

Included: the seven-hour cruise, four stops, island landing fees and full passenger insurance. That makes the fare comparable with rivals whose lower headline price does not include the park contribution paid in cash at the pier. Not included: food and drink. The restaurant serves hot and cold dishes, snacks and drinks at what the site calls contained prices; we did not see a menu with figures, so budget for lunch separately or bring your own.

What customers say

The Tripadvisor listing for Delfino Tours La Maddalena showed 4.8 out of 5 from 345 reviews at the time of writing, ranked first of 18 transportation options in La Maddalena. Recurring praise: attentive staff, a clean and modern boat, enough time at each stop, and space to change seats. Trustpilot also hosts reviews for gitearcipelago.it.

Recurring complaints are few. One reviewer had trouble paying by card at the booking stand. More seriously, one August 2026 review describes the captain sailing into forecast bad weather with water coming aboard and frightened passengers. We cannot verify the account; we mention it because it is the only substantive negative in a large sample and because sea conditions are the thing to ask about on any given morning.

Departure logistics

In Palau the ticket office is at the port; check-in runs until 10:00 for the 10:30 departure. The tourist port has paid parking and a multi-storey car park nearby; free spaces are gone by 09:30 in August. In La Maddalena the office is at the port on Via Amendola, a short walk from the Delcomar and Maddalena Lines ferry landing. Office hours are listed as 07:30 to midnight daily in season.

Payment is due at check-in; the online booking holds a seat without a deposit. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before, and the company reschedules or refunds when it cancels for weather.

Who should book it, and who should not

Book Delfino Tours if you want the classic four-island day on a ship with proper facilities, if you are based on La Maddalena, or if you travel with a pushchair or a wheelchair and need step-free boarding. It is also a sound choice if you dislike paying cash extras at the pier.

Skip it if your priority is small numbers: 210 people is still a crowd at Cala Corsara. For quiet coves you need a catamaran or a private boat, compared on our private charter guide. Skip it too if you want a live guide; the commentary lives on your phone.

Insider tip: Download the audio-guide app on Wi-Fi before you board and put the phone in a dry bag; the Corsara has Wi-Fi but the signal on the upper deck comes and goes between Spargi and Budelli.

How to book

Direct on gitearcipelago.it (no deposit, pay at check-in), by phone on +39 334 8520671 or +39 379 364 8993, by e-mail at info@gitearcipelago.it, or at either ticket office. Its Facebook page is titled “Delfino Tours | Palau”. We did not find the Corsara on GetYourGuide at the time of writing.

Alternatives you can book online

For the same day with free cancellation and reserve-now-pay-later, see all La Maddalena boat tours on GetYourGuide. The archipelago boat tour departing from La Maddalena or Palau (€76 on GetYourGuide at the time of writing, four swim stops, vintage motorboat) is the closest match for island-based travellers; the full-day archipelago trip is the classic motor ship; and for a smaller boat from La Maddalena’s tourist port, the small-group hybrid tour with aperitif is a half-day alternative.